1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools for string musical instruments, and more particularly to a string dampener to reduce unwanted or unpredictable sound from strings of musical instruments.
2. Description of the Related Art
Since the inception of the Guitar and Bass Guitar, there have been numerous inventions to help aid the instrumentalist in perfecting the art of playing, enhancing and maintaining the instrument. Stringed musical instruments produce noise through the vibration of taut, fastened strings. Especially when played by some action of plucking, fingering, strumming, or utilizing a bow, it is common for strings that have not been directly touched to resonate and release at least a low level of sound. This sonic phenomenon may also occur even in strings that have not been physically touched at all, such as in the act of striking a string, a technique called “hammering” amongst guitar players whereby the string is directly hit from above; when striking one string, it is possible for nearby strings or those that share a certain relationship in frequency to resonate as well, creating “sympathetic” tones or “overtones,” unpredictable noises in addition those that already produced by the possible brushing of adjacent strings.
It is common knowledge among electric guitar and bass guitar players of learning certain playing techniques, which help to address the problem of eliminating unwanted noise and notes. The Palm Mute technique is the most common and used by electric Guitar and Bass players, in an attempt to produce a “cleaner” sound or a tone to the same effect, often compensate for such extraneous noise. The “palm mute” or “palm muting” uses the side of the palm of the picking hand closest to the body of the guitar that comes into direct contact with all or some strings, and in a certain degree of pressure, to subdue lesser sounds or produce a certain resulting effect and to produce a clean vibration of the note or notes being played and controlling only the strings and notes that are allowed to produce the desired sound. Another technique utilized for this purpose is using the fretting fingers to cover the strings and notes not being played without producing any unwanted noise or notes.
There have been devices already Patented for the purposes of trying to achieve the goal of eliminating unwanted extraneous noises in the pursuit of purifying all musical notes desired. However, there are limitations and flaws in the prior art. In general, most prior art devices hinder playability, require complicated attachments, and require undesired adjustments to the instrument. This has been a problem especially for electric Guitar and electric Bass Guitar Players from the time amplification had been introduced.
One known string dampener is U.S. Pat. No. 7,488,880, which attaches to the headstock of a guitar and requires an overarching extension, which clamps down from above. This invention for string dampening comes into contact with the strings several inches from the root of the attachment, such as after the first and second fret of a guitar, inhibiting access to the covered portion. This clearly hinders full access and range of the musical instrument. Another problem with this invention is that the user cannot play open chords, which generally are played on the first three frets of the guitar and utilize the effects of the dampener to eliminate extraneous unwanted string noise. The '880 reference also requires a considerable amount of setup to secure the apparatus in place and to adjust the overhead damping pressure. Such characteristics can damage the headstock of the instrument and are inconvenient.
Another string dampener or string mute device is U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,147, which dampens the strings by wrapping a dampening material around the neck of the instrument and adjusting the pressure of the dampening material from the top of the strings to produce the desired effect of eliminating unwanted string noise. However, there are some flaws with this invention as well. First, because the size of the diameter of the neck of the instrument changes from the first fret to the twelfth fret, an artist must adjust the device as they play in higher intervals further away from the nut of the neck for this device to be effective in eliminating unwanted string noise. Also, due to the fact that the device fits over the top of the strings on the instrument, the device hinders and gets in the way of access to the entire fretboard and all the notes of the instrument, thus prohibiting playing of notes from the first fret where most open chord voicing's are played.
In view of the forgoing, there is a need for an apparatus that allows the strings of a stringed musical instrument to be dampened and undampened easily, even during a live performance of the musical instrument. Moreover, the apparatus should allow access to the entire fretboard of the instrument without restriction.